STATEMENT BY H.E.
SEYED MOHAMMAD KHATAMI PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN AT THE
1OTH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC SUMMIT CONFERENCE OCT 16, 2003 PUTRAJAYA,
MALAYSIA

In the name of God, the
Compassionate, the Merciful

Honourable Heads of State and
Government;

Honourable Secretary-General of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference;

Distinguished Colleagues;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

At the very outset, I avail myself of
this opportunity to express my deep satisfaction for attending this
august gathering of the Honourable Heads of State and Government of the
States Members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and to
offer the warm, fraternal greetings of the Muslim nation of Iran to all
of you and to all Islamic nations. I would as well like to seize the
moment to express our heartfelt felicitations to Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir
Mohamad, distinguished Prime Minister of Malaysia, on his most deserved
assumption of the chairmanship of the 10th Islamic Summit Conference and
wish him every success in discharging the formidable task lying ahead.

Distinguished Colleagues,

Islam, with its multi-faceted and
multi-dimensional depth and grandeur - whose most fundamental aspect is
the Truth that lies solely with God - is the important uniting factor
among the Muslim nations, Members of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference. God Almighty Himself is the first reciter of the Qur'an:
"These are the verses of Allah which we recite them unto you in
righteousness" (Chapter II, 252). The Holy Prophet "A Messenger from
among themselves recites unto them His Verses" (Chapter LXII, 2). And
Muslims must listen to this recitation: "Whenever the Qur' an is
recited, listen to it with attention" (Chapter VII, 204). The outcome is
faith: "Our Lord - our Cherisher - verily we have heard a caller
summoning us to the faith, declaring: Believe in your Lord, so we have
believed" (Chapter III, 193).

The most fundamental question
confronting us as Muslims today is whether we are capable of listening
to God and comprehending His Book. True faith once residing in the
Muslim's heart would inevitably have its manifestations and signs in
actuality. A society founded on true Islamic faith, a society hearing
God's voice and comprehending His Book, is a society in which the rights
of the oppressed are not trampled and the relationship between the
rulers and the ruled are balanced, in equilibrium and organized on a
reciprocal-rights basis. Given the clear and unambiguous assertions in
the Qur'an and Tradition, can we afford to call a society religious
where the people only have obligations and no rights and the rulers only
have rights and no obligations? Do we, as Muslims, enjoy the dignity
that God has promised the faithful; the dignity that in our times cannot
but be secured through independence and scientific-technological and
economic progress, and a corresponding high and respected standing in
the international community? Are we not suffering preponderance of
ignorance and poverty? Are Muslim lands not facing the danger of
aggression and occupation by quarters and forces whose interests lie in
our dependence and underdevelopment? Is morality, the very same ultimate
objective of the mission of all prophets and what is so wanting in our
world today, not absent among us Muslims?

Let me speak frankly. We Muslims can
secure our righteous place in the world only if we rid ourselves of the
so-called nominalist approach, claiming pride in the name of Islam and
yet being so removed of its genuine substance. Any deserving claim on
the part of us Muslims as to association with the truth of Islam and
faith will have to be matched against certain conditions, among others,
security of the whole citizenry - both Muslim and otherwise - from
oppression and suppression; assumption of office by the statesmen and
politicians through the free, voluntary vote of the governed and not
through coercion of sorts; and peaceful alternation and transfer of
power in accordance with the will of the populace.

Distinguished Colleagues,

While our eves are set on the future,
the world in these early years of the third Millennium is, much to
everybody' chagrin, going through very painful days. This has indeed
confronted the Islamic countries with a critical test of historical
proportions. A cursory look at the overall world situation will tell us
where we stand and hopefully lead us to what we should do. In the
aftermath of the demise of the Soviet Union, the Western powers, most
notably the United States, found themselves in a paradoxical and
confounding situation. On the one hand, they enthused over the defeat of
the rival system, and on the other and simultaneously, the sudden
disappearance and sheer absence of the former enemy questioned the very
raison d'etre of their gigantic military machinery and prowess. Hence,
the US' urgently-felt need for a new, substitute enemy.

In the meantime, Islam had also come
to find new claimants, whose principal call was premised on opposition
to Western science, culture and civilization and who sought to impose an
obscurantist reading of Islam on all social, political, economic and
cultural spheres of life. It is ironic that Western policies while
craving for an "illusory enemy" for the continued life of their huge
weapons-producing machinery and preservation and expansion of their
world dominance, come to find their natural allies in religious
obscurantism, superficial nominalism and praise for violence on the
other side, whose swords are whetted for carnage and destruction.

The war-mongers' clamour
notwithstanding, we should call for peace, in as assertive and loud a
voice as possible. We should call for justice, which as enjoined by the
Holy Qur'an, should be independent of the conduct of the other side -
"Let not hatred of a people incite you to act inequitably; act
equitably, that is nearer to piety" (Chapter V, 8).

Justice requires opposition to
terrorism, which cannot be of a transitional and selective nature or
based on passing exigencies. Terrorism is to be condemned in all its
forms and manifestations. The state terrorism of Israel that has so
scandalously carried out systematic suppression of the heroic people of
Palestine and has not stopped short of committing any crimes against
even those Palestinians living in diaspora must be condemned and halted.
Recent terroristic attacks by Israeli planes against Syria carried out,
with the support of certain big powers and in the name of combating
terrorism, is another vivid example of the chain of crimes by this
aggressive regime, which must be condemned categorically. I appeal to
all those concerned about the peace and security in the area and the
world as well as the future of humankind to condemn such crimes and
utilize all necessary means to prevent its recurrence.

I myself as the President of the
Islamic Iran and many of Your Excellencies as Heads of State of Islamic
nations were among the very first to condemn the September 11 tragedy. I
did not do so out of a sense of political exigency, rather, out of
deference to Islamic teachings, Iranian culture and human and moral
imperative. One could legitimately ask whether the Heads of State of
powerful countries are willing to condemn the persistent crimes of
Israel as frankly and as categorically.

The Islamic Iran, relying on its
Islamic and moral principles, calls for a world, first and foremost, the
Middle East region, free from nuclear weapons and weapons of mass
destruction. To this end and also to reiterate our commitment to peace,
we invite the Islamic countries to adopt a clear and categorical
position in this regard.

Within this overall approach, we
emphasize the imperative of the withdrawal of foreign forces from
Afghanistan and Iraq and handing over of the reins of power to their
people respectively. The Government and people of Iran will be delighted
with joy and satisfaction to see the prosperity and progress of their
neighbouring Iraq. A stable, secure, peace-loving Iraq run by a
government based on popular vote is not only what we aspire and support,
it is in fact what the whole region would like to see emerge.

The Islamic Republic of Iran believes
in the imperative of establishing a positive and constructive
interaction with the Provisional Governing Council in Iraq with the
objectives of contributing to rapid restoration of national sovereignty,
expediting the withdrawal of foreign occupation forces, smooth passage
through the transitional period, and formation of an elected,
representative government. Developments in Iraq and their impact on the
interests and security of the region at large require that current
consultations and coordination among Islamic countries continue in all
earnestness with a long-term and strategic perspective. We believe that
the draft resolution the United States has presented to the Security
Council calling for contribution of other countries to the security and
reconstruction of Iraq under American political and military command is
a far cry from the purposes of the United Nations in handing over
national sovereignty to the Iraqi people and expeditious withdrawal of
occupying forces.

Turning to Palestine, the tragedy and
suffering continues unabated. The same Zionist regime that keeps
threatening the world peace and regional security with its expansion of
nuclear weapons and displays the worst kind of state terrorism through
resort to heavy weaponry in massacring Palestinian civilian population,
is supported unflinchingly by the powers claiming to arbitrate
impartially in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is indeed a matter
of great dismay that the Zionist regime recognizes no limits in
violating and trampling international law and goes even so far as to
plan for the expulsion of the respected President of the Palestinian
Authority and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization from the
occupied territories and schemes for his physical elimination. What is
certain is that the Israeli policies have made it crystal clear that the
political solutions presented so far fail to address the realization of
the rights of the Palestinian people and hence, the establishment of a
durable and just peace. I cannot desist expressing sorrow at the sad
fact that the legitimate struggle of the oppressed people of Palestine
for regaining their most basic rights has not been adequately and
effectively supported by the Islamic community in its totality. Let me
reiterate that all progressive countries of the world, particularly
members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, should rise to
the task of mobilizing the active support of the international community
for the just cause of Palestine.

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished
Colleagues,

The very foundation of all of our
collective endeavours for progress should be based on training of
skilled manpower, scientific advancement, expansion and deepening of
access to new and advanced technologies, higher levels of capital
formation and investment, and dynamic interaction with and active
presence in the world economy.

Let me emphasize right here, that we
consider access to advanced science and technology, including nuclear
science and technology for peaceful purposes, a legitimate and
inalienable right and privilege for the Iranian people, needless to say,
within the framework and in accordance with the provisions and
safeguards envisioned in international law. Equally, we have stated on
numerous occasions, in absolutely unambiguous terms, that production of
nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction do not have any
place in the defense strategy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In fact,
as a matter of principle we believe that all of us should cooperate and
exert our utmost to struggle against this evil menace of modern times
all over the world and endeavour collectively to prevent spread of
nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction on a global basis, and
first and foremost, in our region.

We are committed to continue our
cooperation. In total good faith, with the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA). It has to be added, though, that the selective approach
and double-standard policies of certain states have been at work
preventing a reasonable resolution of the existing misunderstandings
with respect to Iran's peaceful nuclear programmes. Standing here as the
President of an Islamic country and a member of the Organization of the
Islamic Conference, I solemnly ask the Summit to devise a mechanism of
its own in order to become closely familiar with Iran's nuclear
activities to corroborate the peaceful nature of these activities, help
towards resolving the extant misunderstandings and assist developing
societies in their legitimate quest for access to advanced knowledge and
technology.

Distinguished Colleagues,

Before concluding, let me reiterate a
number of challenges and imperatives lying ahead of us all.

1- Any new and emerging opportunity
or threat in the world further reaffirms the imperative of revitalizing
anew by us Muslims the vigorous pursuit of the idea of Dialogue among
Civilizations. Promotion of the Dialogue among civilizations provides
the necessary suitable grounds for the realization of the "Alliance for
Peace" on a global scale and opens a new vista for dialogue among
ourselves as well as with other civilizations and cultures. The "World
of Islam" and the "Western World" can - and should - engage from this
vantage point in dialogue with each other on the important questions and
challenges confronting the world today. Dialogue among us within the
Islamic world serves both a prerequisite and promoter of dialogue with
others.

2- We Muslims should construct our
civility on the example of "Madinat-u-Nabi". An example that could be
viewed as a determining standard in regulating both worldly and
other-worldly affairs of Muslims. It can lie at the foundation of a
system that would utilize all positive achievements of humankind in
social, cultural, economic and political spheres and fields and develop
into a model system which would ensure democracy along with justice,
freedom, morality, progress and dignity and rights of human beings.

3- Islamic faith is premised on the
principle of justice, as the most fundamental characteristic of an
Islamic society. Justice does not merely apply to the relations among
Muslims, rather to all relations and interactions between Muslims and
others.

4- Genuine, true faith in the
principle of justice necessitates negation of terrorism of all kinds and
manifestations, commitment in word and deed to the promotion and
establishment of peace and security on a global and regional basis,
including through negation of the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

5- Along with justice, freedom,
democracy and security are the other prerequisites of social life,
without which sustainable, humane social life would prove unattainable.

6- The imperative for Islamic
countries to seek and gain access to knowledge and technology to the
best of their abilities as well as for cooperation and mutual
assistance. It is a fact that the level of development among members of
the Organization differs and the less developed among us need the help
of the more advanced to achieve a reasonable rate of growth and
development. Yet, expansion and further deepening of scientific
technological and economic cooperation among us and at the level of the
whole Organization would have higher cumulative effects for the entirety
of the Islamic Ummah and its standing in the international community.
For the Organization to occupy and play an effective role in the world
arena, we cannot but commit ourselves to work towards bridging the gap
between the rich and poor in our ranks.

7- The imperative of reform in the
Organization's administrative structure and revitalization of its
procedures and activities. It is indeed a matter of satisfaction that
this important issue has recently received due attention and has thus
far make good progress.

We remain hopeful that a more
vigorous pursuit of this welcome, positive trend under the new
chairmanship will bear fruit and lead to a more dynamic and effective
status and role for the Organization within the Islamic Community as
well as at regional and international levels.

And in conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I
should pay tribute to the State of Qatar and the Honourable Amir, His
Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, for all their valuable
efforts for the realization of the purposes and objectives of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference and also express best wishes for
the success of the new Chair, the brotherly Government of Malaysia and
the Chairman himself.